1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the automatic selection of favorite media selections of a user of a media presentation device, such as a television, radio, CD player and internet browser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most, if not all, television receivers on televisions, set top boxes, cable television boxes, video cassette recorders, etc. are sold with electronic controls that permit a viewer to move incrementally through a sequence of channels, in an ascending or descending channel number order, with “up” and “down” arrow keys on a panel on the television receiver itself or on a remote control unit that can be used to control the television receiver. Using this feature, the viewer can flip through channels and can see, for example, what shows are playing, or simply move from one channel to the next adjacent channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,256 discloses a television remote control that adds a “Scan” key which, when depressed, causes the television tuner to step through the various available channels while pausing briefly at each channel to give the viewer an opportunity to see what programs are showing. If the viewer sees something that he wishes to watch, he presses on the “scan” key again and the tuner then stops at the selected channel. The “scan” key can alternatively be set to scan through a list of channels designated by a viewer as his favorite channels.
In some existing television receivers, the viewer is able to program into the television, via an on-screen menu or a specific button, a list of the viewer's favorite channels. The viewer can then switch between the programmed favorite channels in the order in which they are arranged by depressing a “Favorite” key on the set top box or on the remote control unit. However, many viewers may not wish to go the effort of programming into the television receiver their favorite channels or may be unable to program such a feature. These same viewers may utilize the favorite channel feature if the channel selection required less or no effort.